WATARRKA NATIONAL PARK TRADITIONAL OWNERS MUST BE HEARD

ederal Member for Lingiari, Warren Snowdon has added his support to the traditional owners of Watarrka (Kings Canyon) National Park for taking their long battle against oil, gas and mining operations in their park to Canberra.

The TOs will be in Canberra on Tuesday, 24 November, where they are lodging an emergency application with Commonwealth Environment Minister Greg Hunt to stop exploration going ahead.

,^^^,THE HON WARREN SNOWDON MP

SHADOW PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY FOR INDIGENOUS AFFAIRS

SHADOW PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY FOR NORTHERN AUSTRALIA

SHADOW PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY FOR EXTERNAL TERRITORIES

FEDERAL MEMBER FOR LINGIARI

WATARRKA NATIONAL PARK TRADITIONAL OWNERS MUST BE HEARD

Federal Member for Lingiari, Warren Snowdon has added his support to the traditional owners of Watarrka (Kings Canyon) National Park for taking their long battle against oil, gas and mining operations in their park to Canberra.

The TOs will be in Canberra on Tuesday, 24 November, where they are lodging an emergency application with Commonwealth Environment Minister Greg Hunt to stop exploration going ahead.

It is clear the traditional owners do not want mining in the National Park. Many Australias share that view and the TOs wishes should be respected Mr Snowdon said.

CLC Director David Ross has called on Northern Territory Chief Minister Adam Giles to urgently clarify whether exploration and mining in the park, which is not on Aboriginal freehold title, would be allowed under the NTs new oil and gas policy.

Mr Snowdon agrees that the Chief Minister must make his position clear.

Territory Labor has ruled out exploration in the park without the agreement of Traditional Owners. Labors position is quite clear. Mr Snowdon said.

It is time for the NT Government to make its position clear on protecting areas of ecological value and areas of cultural significance as off limits for oil and gas exploration. Mr Snowdon said.

There should be no development of this type in areas of such significance, those responsible for promoting and undertaking these activities in these sensitive areas surely must know that not only TOs but the community generally is very concerned.”

That the traditional owners have had to journey to Canberra to ask Environment Minister to stop exploration going ahead at Watarrka shows that the NT Government has not heard their voice to protect ceremonial sites and dreaming tracks. Mr Snowdon said.